Swing arm starter



June 17, 1969 J A. MEYER 3,449,964

SWING ARM STARTER Filed July 23, 1968 Sheet of 3 (if/767K177 yaw/es 6- Way Q: darn 6% June 17, 1969 J. A. MEYER SWING ARM STARTER Filed July 23, 1968 5/ 55 25 2; Q I in?) 5/ f II I /7 Q a :2; f!

(Wm (21537 yaw/e; d. @6 7 (/9 2am @MAQQM June 17, 1969 J. A. MEYER SWING ARM STARTER Sheet 3 of 5 Filed July .5, 1968 0 nrem'br games a. Wig/ @m m, AM elm Qtzu rrze z s United States Patent 3,449,964 SWING ARM STARTER James A. Meyer, Waukegan, Ill., assignor to Outboard Marine Corporation, Waukegan, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 546,719, May 2, 1966. This application July 23, 1968, Ser. No. 748,900

Int. Cl. F02n 3/02 US. Cl. 74-8 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Disclosed herein is the combination of an engine having a crankshaft and a connected engine gear, a member rotatably mounted on an axis fixed with respect to the engine and including a sheave and a second gear concentric with the fixed axis, a pinion meshed with said second gear and rotatably mounted on an arm pivotally mounted concentrically with said member for movement relative to a position in engagement with said engine gear, a spring biased friction clutch for releasably restraining rotation of the arm relative to the member, a pull rope connected to the sheave and operable upon unwinding from the sheave to rotate the member in one direction and to thereby move said pinion into engagement with said engine gear, and spring means connected to said member so as to be tensioned upon unwinding of said rope and upon release of said rope to effect rotation of said member to wind said rope upon said sheave, and to effect rotary motion of said arm away from said engine gear.

RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation in part of my copending application Ser. No. 546,719, filed May 2, l966, now abandoned, relating to swing arm starter.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION In accordance with the invention, the improved starting arrangement comprises the combination with a flywheel ring gear or other gear connected to the engine crankshaft, of a starter gear which is rotatably mounted on an axis fixed with respect to the engine and so as to preclude axial movement, together with means for connecting the starter gear and the flywheel gear upon rotation of the starter gear. In further accordance with the invention, the connecting means comprises a pinion meshed with the starting gear, together with means mounting the pinion for travel along a path partially orbiting the starting gear between a first position affording engagement of the pinion with the flywheel gear and a second position wherein the pinion is spaced from the engine gear and for rotation of the pinion independently of travel along the orbital path. The connecting means further comprises means for releasably restraining rotation of the arm relative to the starter gear to effect movement of the arm between the first and second positions.

In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the means mounting the pinion for travel around a path orbiting the starting gear comprises an arm which is pivotally mounted on an axis concentric with the axis of the starter gear, together with mounting of the pinion on the arm for travel with the arm about the periphery of the starting gear and into and out of engagement with the flywheel in response to starter gear rotation. Also in the preferred embodiment, the releasable means for restraining rotation of the pinion is in the form of a friction spring for restraining rotation of the pinion relative to the arm. Alternatively, the friction spring can be used to restrain rotation of the arm relative to the starter gear by locating the spring between the swing arm and starter gear.

One of the advantages of the invention resides in the ability of obtaining meshing engagement of the pinion or idler gear with the flywheel gear regardless of initial interference between the teeth of the pinion and flywheel gear when the pinion approaches the flywheel gear. In such circumstances, continued rotation of the starter gear serves to afford rotation of the pinion about its own axis, without pivoting the supporting arm, until the pinion teeth are displaced to a position affording entrance into meshing engagement with the teeth of the flywheel gear.

Another advantage of the invention resides in the adaptability of the starting device for operation with an engine when the axis of the starting gear is either parallel to the engine crankshaft or transverse to the engine crankshaft. Specifically, when the axis of the starter gear is parallel to the axis of the flywheel gear, common cylindrical spur gears can be used. In the event the axis of the starter gear is normal to the axis of the crankshaft, the flywheel, or other part connected to the crankshaft, can be provided, for meshing engagement with a cylindrical idler gear, with a circular rack, or face gear on one of its faces.

Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become known by reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of one embodiment of an arrangement which includes an engine and a starting device and which embodies various of the features of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is en enlarged plan view of a portion of the arrangement shown in FIGURE 1 with the components shown at rest;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view similar to FIGURE 2 wherein the starting device and the engine are in full driving engagement;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view similar to FIGURES 2 and 3 wherein the starting device and the engine are temporarily located in interfering engagement with each other;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of another embodiment of an arrangement which includes an engine and a starting device and which embodies various of the features of the invention;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view of ment for the starter device; and

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary plan view of the alternate arrangement of the starter device with the pinion gear in full driving engagement with the crankshaft gear.

Shown in the drawings is an internal combustion engine indicated at 11 and a cooperating starting device 13 embodying various of the features of the invention.

The engine 11 includes an engine block 15, a crankshaft 17, and a gear connected to the crankshaft to effect rotation thereof, as for instance a ring gear 19 on a flywheel 21.

The starting device 13 comprises a starter gear 23 which is mounted for rotation about an axis fixed with respect to the engine 11. More specifically, as shown in the drawings, the gear 23 can constitute one part of a unitary member 25 which also includes a sheave 27 for a pull rope 29. The unitary member 25 is journalled about a hub 31 of a swing arm 33 which will be referred to hereinafter, and which, in turn, is pivotally or rotatably mounted on a stud 35 which can be fixed to an appropriate mounting lug 37 on the engine block 15. The starter gear 23 is restrained against axial movement by reason of being an alternate arrangecaptured between a flange 34 on the arm 33 and the lug 37.

Means are provided for rotating the starter gear 23 in both directions. Such means includes the before-mentioned starter or pull rope 29 which is connected to the unitary member 25 and a recoil or rewind spring 39 which is housed adjacent to the sheave 27, which is also connected to the unitary member 25 and which is wound up or tensioned upon pulling of the rope 29 out of the sheave 27. In operation, upon release of the pull rope 29, the rewind spring 39 serves to wind up the pull rope 29 on the sheave 27.

In accordance with the invention, means are provided for connecting the starting gear 23 to the flywheel gear 19 upon rotation of the starter gear and for discontinuing such engagement upon starting of the engine 11. While various arrangements can be employed, in the disclosed construction, such means comprises an idler gear or pinion 41 and means for mounting the pinion in meshing engagement with the starter gear 23 for movement along a path partially orbiting the starting gear between a first position in engagement with the flywheel gear 19 and a second position spaced from the flywheel gear. The pinion mounting means also provides for rotation of the pinion 41 about its axis independently of orbital travel around the starting gear 23.

In order to afford movement of the pinion 41 orbitally around the starting gear 23 while also affording meshed engagement of the pinion 41 and the flywheel gear 19 as the idler gear or pinion approaches the flywheel gear 19, notwithstanding initial interfering engagement of the teeth of the flywheel gear 19 and the pinion 41, means are provided for releasably restraining rotation of the pinion 41 independently of orbital movement of the pinion 41 around the starting gear 23.

In the illustrated construction, the means mounting the pinion 41 for orbital movement about the starter gear 23 and for rotation independently of such orbital movement comprises the before-mentioned pivotally mounted arm 33 which carries a stud shaft 43 on which the pinion 41 is rotatably mounted. More particularly, the stud shaft 43 includes a head 45 which engages one face of the pinion 41. At its other end, the shaft 43 extends through a bore in the arm 33 and is pinned at 47 to the arm 33. The pinion 41 is carried on the shaft 43 between the head 45 and the arm 33, and includes a hub 49 for a purpose still to be explained.

In this embodiment, the means which releasably restrains independent rotation of the pinion comprises a U-shaped spring 51 having a bent-end portion 53 which is received in a recess 55 in the arm 33 for the purpose of anchoring the spring 51. The spring 51 forms a releasable type friction clutch and is frictionally engaged around the hub 49 of the pinion 41 so as to afford decreased frictional restrain to rotation in response to such rotation of the pinion 41 as is effective to displace the pinion 41 toward its position spaced from the flywheel gear 19.

In order to limit travel of the swing arm 33 away from the flywheel 21, a stop 61 is provided which is fixedly mounted with respect to the engine 11.

In operation, upon pulling of the pull rope 29, the starter gear 23 is rotated in the clockwise direction as shown in FIGURE 2. Because of the restraint to independent rotation of the pinion 41, such clockwise rotation of the starter gear 23 serves to displace the swing arm 33 in the clockwise direction to a first position with the idler gear 41 in meshed engagement with the flywheel gear 19. Upon entry of the pinion 41 into meshed engagement with the flywheel gear 19, fuither movement in the clockwise direction of the swing arm 33 is precluded and continued rotation in the clockwise direction of the starter gear 23, under the influence of the pull rope 29, serves to rotate the idler gear 41 in the counterclockwise direction and the flywheel gear 19 in the clockise direction, thereby to start the engine 11,

In the event that the teeth of the idler gear 41 and the flywheel gear 19 are initially engaged in interfering relation so as to preclude immediate meshing, clockwise, movement of the arm 33 will stop upon such initial interference. However, continued movement of the starter gear-'23 will serve to rotate the pinion 41 relative to the flywheel gear 19, thus rotating the pinion 41 until the pinion teeth will mesh with the flywheel gear teeth. When thus located, the swing arm will resume clockwise movement until full engagement of the pinion teeth with the flywheel gear teeth is afforded so as to enable starting of the engine 11.

Whenever the pulley rope 29 is released, the recoil spring 39, which is wound up or tensioned in response to withdrawal of the pull rope 29 from the sheave 27, will serve to rotate the starter gear 23 in the counterclockwise direction. Such rotation of the starter gear 23 will walk the swing arm 33 in the counterclockwise direction to a second position with the pinion 41 disengaged from the flywheel gear 19.

When the engine 11 starts in response to pulling on the starter rope 29, the flywheel 21 will rotate at a peripheral speed in excess of the peripheral speed of the pinion 41 occasioned by pulling on the rope 29. As a consequence, the pinion 41 will be rotated in the counterclockwise direction faster than the clockwise rotation of the starter gear 23. Therefore, the swing arm 33 will Walk in the counterclockwise direction relative to the starter gear 23 notwithstanding continued clockwise rotation of the starter gear 23 under the influence of the pull rope 29. As already explained, when the pull rope 29 is released, the starting gear 23 will also rotate in the counterclockwise direction under the influence of the recoil spring 39, thereby insuring full travel of the swing arm 33 to the second position adjacent to the stop 61.

While the disclosed construction has shown the axis of the starter gear 23 in parallel relation to the axis of the flywheel gear 19, a starter embodying various of the features of the invention can also be employed in which the axis of the starter gear 23 is normal to the axis of the flywheel gear 19. Under such circumstances, the flywheel 21, as shown in FIGURE 6, is provided, on one of its faces, with a circular rack or face gear 63 which is meshable with the pinion 41.

In the alternate arrangement of the starting device 70, shown in FIGURES 7 and 8, a unitary member 71 is mounted for rotation on a fixed axis and includes a starter gear 72 and a sheave 73 for a pull rope 74. The unitary member 71 is journalled on bushings 75 on a screw or stud 76 fixed on a mounting lug 77 on the engine block.

Means are provided for connecting the starter gear 72 to the flywheel gear 19 upon rotation of the starter gear and for discontinuing such engagement upon starting of the engine. In this arrangement the means comprises a pinion or idler gear 80 journalled on a hub 81 on a swing arm 78 mounted concentric with said starter gear on the screw or stud 76. The idler gear 80 is in mesh with the starter gear 72 and means are provided for orbiting the idler gear into and out of engagement with the flywheel gear 19 by rotating the swing arm 78 with the starter gear 72. More specifically, in this embodiment such means for orbiting the idler gear is provided by a compression spring 82 which provides a frictional force between the swing arm 78 and the starter gear 72. The compression spring 82 provides a spring biased releasable type friction clutch action having suflicient frictional force to cause the swing arm 78 to rotate with the unitary member 71 between a first position with the pinion 80 in engagement with the flywheel 19 and a second position with the pinion 80 displaced from the engagement with the flywheel gear 19.

Means are provided for rotating the unitary member 71 and starter gear 73 in both directions. The unitary member 71 is rotated in one direction by means of the pull rope 74 mounted in the sheave 73 and is rotated in the other direction by means of a rewind or recoil spring 79 housed within a cup 83 positioned beneath the unitary member 71 adjacent the sleave 73. When the pull rope 74 is pulled from the sheave 73, the recoil spring 70 is wound up or tensioned and the swing arm 78 rotates with the unitary member 71 due to the frictional force provided by the compression spring 82 to move the pinion gear 80 to the first position. Upon release of the pull rope, the recoil spring 79 operates to wind the pull rope up on the sheave 73 and to rotate the swing arm 78 with the unitary member 71 due to the frictional force provided by the compression spring 82, thereby displacing the pinion gear 80 to the second position.

The distance of motion of the swing arm 78 between the first position and the second position is limited by means of two finger-like stops 86 and 87 which project outwardly from a plate 84 secured to the cup 83 and to a position in the path of motion of a boss 88 provided on the swing arm 78. The position of the fixed stops 86 and 87 can be adjusted to positively locate the pinion gear 80 with respect to the crankshaft gear 19 by means of an adjustment bracket 85 secured to the cup 83. More specifically, the bracket 85 has a slot 90 and is secured to the engine block by a screw 89 which extends through the slot 90. The bracket 85 can be moved within the limits of slots 90 to rotate the cup 83 and vary the position of the stops 86 and 87. A rope guide 91 may be provided on the plate 84 if desired.

Various of the features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination of .an engine having a crankshaft and gear connected with said crankshaft for rotation of said crankshaft in response to rotation of said gear, a starter gear, means rotably mounting said starter gear on an axis fixed with respect to said engine and precluding axial movement of said starter gear, a pull rope and a recoil spring each connected to said starter gear for respectively rotating said starter gear in opposite directions, an arm, a pinion meshed with said starter gear and rotatably mounted on said arm, means pivotally mounting said arm concentrically with said starter gear for movement relative to said engine gear between a first position affording engagement of said opinion with said engine gear and a second position wherein said pinion is spaced from said engine gear, and means for restraining rotation of said pinion relative to said arm.

2. A combination in accordance with claim 1 including a stop fixed with respect to said engine for limiting movement of said arm in the direction locating said pinion in said second position.

3. The combination of an engine having a crankshaft and gear connected with said crankshaft for rotation of said crankshaft in response to rotation of said gear, a starter gear rotatably mounted on an axis fixed with respect to said engine, means for rotating said starter gear, an arm, a pinion meshed with said starter gear and rotatably mounted on said arm and including a hub, means pivotally mounting said arm concentrically with said starter gear for movement relative to said engine gear between a first position affording engagement of said pinion with said engine gear and a second position wherein said pinion is spaced from said engine gear, and a U-shaped spring engaging said hub and anchored in said arm, said spring frictionally restraining rotation of said pinion relative to said arm .and being engaged on said hub so as to afford decreased frictional restraint in response to such rotation of said pinion relative to said starter gear as is effective to displace said pinion toward said second position.

4. The combination of an engine having a crankshaft and a first gear connected with said crankshaft for rotation of said crankshaft in response to rotation of said first gear, a second gear rotatably mounted on an axis fixed with respect to said engine, means for rotating said second gear, an arm, a pinion meshed with said second gear and rotatably mounted on said arm and including thereon a hub, means pivotally mounting said arm concentrically with said second gear for movement relative to said first gear between a first position affording engagement of said pinion with said first gear and a second position wherein said pinion is spaced from said first gear, and a spring anchored in said arm and frictionally engaged with said hub for restraining rotation of said pinion relative to said arm.

5. An engine starting device comprising a member including a sheave and a second gear fixed concentrically with said sheave, and against movement axially with respect to said sheave, means for rotatably mounting said member on an axis fixable with respect to an engine, an arm, a pinion meshed with said gear and rotatably mounted on said arm, means pivotally mounting said arm concentrically with said gear, means for restraining rotation of said pinion relative to said arm, a pull rope connected to said sheave and adapted to be wound thereon, said pull rope being operable upon unwinding from said sheave to effect rotation of said member in one direction, and spring means connected to said member so as to be tensioned in response to rotation of said member in said one direction and, upon release of said rope, so as to rotate said member in the opposite direction to wind said rope upon said sheave.

6. An engine starting device according to claim 5 wherein said means for restraining rotation of said pinion comprises a spring anchored in said arm and frictionally engaged with said hub for restraining rotation of said pinion relative to said arm.

7. The combination of an engine having a crankshaft and a gear connected with said crankshaft for rotation of said crankshaft in response to rotation of said gear, a starter gear, means rotatably mounting said starter gear on an axis fixed with respect to said engine, a swing arm, means pivotally mounting said swing arm concentric with said starter gear, a pinion meshed with said starter gear and rotatably mounted on said swing arm, means to provide friction force for moving said swing arm with said starter gear between a first position affording engagement of said pinion with said engine gear and a second position wherein said pinion is spaced from said engine gear, a pull rope connected to said starter gear to rotate said starter gear in one direction and to thereby move said swing arm to said first position, and a recoil spring connected to said starter gear to be tensioned upon rotation of said starter gear by said pull rope and to rotate said starter gear in the other direction upon release of said pull rope to thereby wind up said pull rope on said starter gear and to effect the rotary motion of said swing arm to said second position.

8. A combination according to claim 7 wherein said friction means provides a frictional force between said arm and said starter gear.

9. A combination according to claim 7 wherein said friction means provides a frictional force between said pinion and said swing arm.

10. A combination according to claim 7 including means to limit the distance of motion of the swing arm between the first position and the second position.

11. A combination according to claim 10 including means to adjust the position of the limiting means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,633,862 6/1927 Kelly et al. 748 2,697,423 12/ 1954 Hare. 2,709,994 6/ 1955 Chandler. 2,869,531 1/ 1959 Cedermark. 3,332,410 7/1967 Dwyer 123-179 FRED C. MATTERN, 111., Primary Examiner. F. D. SHOEMAKER, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 123-179, 

